MARLON ENDS RIVERA’S STREAK

In Utica NY; two New Jersey fighters headlined the fight night card. MARLON MORAES and JIMMIE RIVERA have been snapping at each other for quite a while now. Finally they got to mix it up. Marlon quickly clipped Jimmie with a left head kick that dropped him. Moraes followed him down landing rights until referee DAN MIRAGLIOTTA saw enough just 33 seconds in for the TKO. The result does 3 things. One; sets up a possible rematch sometime, because no way does Jimmie just shrug this one off. Two; it ends a 20 fight win streak for Rivera dating back to November 2008. It’s the 1st time he’s ever been stopped. Three; it puts Marlon on the doorstep of a bantamweight title shot. It also gives him a three fight win streak with two very impressive stoppages in a row. Post fight; there was another heated argument apparently between Jimmie and Marlon’s manager ALI ABDELAZIZ.

Long Island standout GREGOR GILLESPIE improved to 5-0 in the UFC and 12-0 in his career after taking down VINC PICHEL into the abyss and working him hard for almost two full rounds. Gregor attempted a submission in the 1st but was able to procure the tap from a triangle 4:06 into round 2. Another fighter to be stopped for the 1st time was DANIEL SPITZ. He had a size advantage vs WALT HARRIS; but Walt had the power edge. Daniel tried valiantly to keep Walt in kicking range but Harris kept coming forward; getting the better of any exchanges. Eventually Walt landed a left hook that stung Spitz; backing him up to the fence. Harris came in dropping Spitz with a combo and then throwing a flurry of lefts till referee KEVIN MACDONALD stopped the fight with just 1 second left in the 2nd. Both guys walked away with injuries though. Walt broke his foot in the 1st with a kick, and Spitz got his forearm broken. BEN SAUNDERS and JAKE ELLENBERGER traded knees in the clinch and along the cage Ben leveled Jake with a left knee to the body. Ben landed a couple of rights before referee DAN MIRAGLIOTTA could jump in at 1:56 of round 1. JULIO ARCE and DANIEL TEYMUR sniped at each other all week. Daniel used a kicking game effectively early on but once Julio landed a straight left things quickly changed. Arce’s striking was crisp, on point, and came from multiple angles. Daniel slipped from a kick and Julio jumped on him; gaining his back. He then locked in a RNC that Daniel finally tapped to at 2:55 of round 3. SAM ALVEY is now 2-0 at light heavyweight after holding on for a split decision win over GIAN VILLANTE.

Cage Warriors star NATHANIEL WOOD had a successful UFC debut. JOHNNY EDUARDO came out firing with his boxing and landed at will. In the second Johnny went for a takedown that Wood gained the advantage on. He worked a D’Arce choke until Eduardo tapped at 2:18 into round 2. Another successful debut came from a Titan FC star; JOSE TORRES. JARED BROOKS was well in control of their fight after 1. In a clinch Jared backed Jose up to the cage then lifted him into the air setting up one of his highlight slam/takedowns. But in back body dropping him Jared stun himself. Jose jumped on his back and landed multiple right hands TKO’ing him 2:55 into the round.

Just moments before the card started the JESSICA AGUILAR-JODIE ESQUIBEL fight was scratched. Not due to injury; but due to the NYSAC. They asked for clearance from doctors about something on Jessica’s lip. They believed it was an infection. Although a dermatologist cleared her; the fight was cancelled anyways. Both women agreed to re-book the fight asap.